Modular microprocessor-based health monitoring system

A self-care monitoring system comprising:

• monitoring means for sensing a condition indicative of a person's physical well-being and for reducing digitally encoded health signals representative of said monitored condition;
• a programmable microprocessor-based video game unit, said programmable microprocessor-based video game unit including a display screen and a plurality of switches operable by said person for generating switch signals, said microprocessor-based video game unit including a receptacle for temporarily receiving a program storage device readable by said programmable micro-processor based unit and tangibly embodying therein a program of instructions executable by said programmable microprocessor-based video game unit to perform method steps for controlling the operation of said programmable microprocessor-based video game unit to perform method steps for controlling the operation of said programmable microprocessor-based video game unit and for displaying information on said display screen in an interactive manner in response to said switch signals and based upon said digitally encoded health signals;
• and
• a signal interface connectable in signal communication with said programmable microprocessor-based video game unit and said monitoring means, said signal interface for coupling said digitally encoded health signals that are supplied by said monitoring means and are representative of said sensed condition to said programmable microprocessor-based video game unit;
• said microprocessor-based video game unit being programmed for supplying a video signal for displaying information on said video game display screen that is based upon said signal supplied by said monitoring means.

A health monitoring system comprising:

• a. one or more monitoring means for monitoring a condition indicative of a person's physical well-being and for producing digitally encoded health signals representative of said monitored condition;
• b. a programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit including:
• 1) a video display for displaying information;
• 2) a plurality of switches operable for interactively controlling said microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit and for manipulating said information displayed on said video display;
• and
• 3) circuit means coupled to said plurality of switches for generating video signals in response to said operation of said switches;
• c. a program storage device, the device
• A. readable by said programmable micro-processor based unit;
• and
• B. tangibly embodying therein a program of instructions executable by said programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit, said program of instructions including instructions for displaying information on said video display in an interactive manner in response to said video signals generated by said circuit means and based upon said digitally encoded health signals;
• d. a signal interface connectable in signal communication with said programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit and said monitoring means for coupling said digitally encoded health signals supplied by said monitoring means to said programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit;
• and
• e. signal processing means connectable in signal communication with said signal interface for performing signal processing functions in accordance with said program of instructions.

A self-care health monitoring system comprising:

• monitoring means for sensing a condition indicative of a person's physical well-being and for producing digitally encoded health signals representative of said monitored condition;
• and
• a programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit including a display screen and a plurality of switches operable by said person for generating switch signals, said microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit including a receptacle for temporarily receiving a program storage device readable by said programmable micro-processor based unit and tangibly embodying therein a program of instructions executable by said programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit to perform method steps for controlling the operation of said programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit and for displaying information on said display screen in an interactive manner in response to said switch signals and based upon said digitally encoded health signals;
• a signal interface connectable in signal communication with said programmable microprocessor-based interactive handled unit and said monitoring means, said signal interface for coupling said digitally encoded health signals that are supplied by said monitoring means and are representative of said sensed condition to said programmable microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit;
• said microprocessor-based interactive handheld unit being programmed for supplying a video signal for displaying information on said display screen that is based upon said signal supplied by said monitoring means.